Hilltop Herald - Parent Edition
Be Respectful ~ Be Responsible ~ Be Resilient
Volume 2 ~ Issue 7 ~ August 28, 2023
Amazing Falcon Families,
It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best." ~ W. Edwards Deming~
When you think of Nike, you inevitably connect it to the slogan "Just Do It," which conjures up champions like Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, just to name of few. The slogan is so simple yet so impactful that it is synonymous with champions. The question that begs to be asked is , "What is it that these champions do and how did they know to do it?" As a tennis fan, I have heard countless interviews with Serena and Nadal, where they have iterated concepts of sacrifice, practice, willingness to be coached and learning to never give up. These are actions that the BEST athletes in the world demonstrate at all times. It does not mean that they end up winning a tournament but what they will say in post-interview is that they prepared the best that they could to be in a position to win a championship. That BEST was done prior to the final outcome. As Deming's quote states: "It is not enough to do your best, you must know what to do, then do your best." I often hear students say and this includes my own children, "I have done my best." What does that mean when you say that statement? Did you know what needed to be done? Did you know what was expected of you? If you wanted an A in class, did you know what the class required for the grade of A? It requires knowing what is expected to reach the end goal; in school, this means the highest grade possible, and then do the work that is needed to reach that end goal. Students, as you evaluate the grades that you will be receiving, I challenge you know what it is you need to do in order to do your BEST for each class moving forward. Know that while your teachers will vary, it will require sacrifice on your part, practicing what you have learned, willing to receive feedback from your teachers and learning to never give up. In the end, if you do all of this, your BEST will always shine.
Congratulations to Ms. Villanueva, Former HTM Science Teacher
We want to take time to congratulations to Ms. Villanueva who was selected as one of five 2023 San Diego County Teachers of the Year on Friday, August 25, 2023. Ms. V was at HTM for several years before accepting the position of Teacher on Special Assignment for Science for the district for the 2023-2024 school year. We are thankful that Ms. V was part of our community impacting our students and our community. We certainly wish you the best in your new position and moving forward to compete in the California State Teacher of the Year competition.
Spring 2023 Academic Celebration on August 28, 2023
Eighth grade families, we will be honoring all students who received at 3.5 GPA in scholarship on Monday, August 28, 2023. Additionally, we will be celebrating all 7th graders who maintained a 3.75 scholarship GPA all year. These are our potential Presidential Scholars at promotion. You will receive an email invitation this week. The celebration will start promptly at 9:00am.
First Progress Report is September 1, 2023
The first progress report is fast approaching. If you are doing well in your classes, then continue what you are doing. If you are NOT doing well in one of your classes, now is a good time to catch up. Falcon Scholars is open as a homework center starting tomorrow after school. All teachers have to submit their grades by Wednesday, August 30. So make sure that you do not wait until the last minute to make up any missing work. If you are not doing well academically, please attend Falcon Scholars to catch up and also Saturday Academy.
California Ed Code on Student Achievement (Ed Code 49066)
In short, teachers are the issuers of grades for their students. Admin cannot compel teachers to give certain grades or change grades unless it fits the descriptors outlined in Ed Code. Ed Code 49066 states, "When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a school district, the grade given to each pupil shall be the grade determined by the teacher of the course and the determination of the pupil’s grade by the teacher, in the absence of clerical or mechanical mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency." This is why you must talk to your teachers about your grades. Counselors and admin can help you with how to have conversations with your teachers.
Coffee with the Principal on September 1, 2022 from 9:00am - 10:00am
On Friday, September 1, 2023 (morning meeting), I will be discussing progress reports and academic success. This will help you in your ongoing support of your children's academic success. If you have any questions about how to support your children, please come and join us.
Jupiter Grades Access
If you have not accessed your child's grades on Jupiter, now is the time to start checking up on them. If you do not know how, please email on of your child's teachers as they will be able to give you a temporary password. You can set Jupiter Grades to give you weekly notification if you want to. If you need help, please contact Ms. Garcia at claudia.garcia3@sweetwaterschools.org or Mr. Zaragoza at adrian.zaragoza@sweetwaterschools.org.
Juvenile Smuggling Presentation this Thursday, August 31, 2023
HTM are partnering up with the US Attorney's Office to present you with a workshop on Juvenile Smuggling on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 6:00pm. This presentation is for our Hilltop Community parents whose students attend Hilltop Middle School, Hilltop High School and the feeder elementary schools. Note: This presentation is for adults only so not students or children will be allowed to attend. Hilltop Middle School will be hosting and seats are limited. If you want to attend, please complete this form so that we can plan ahead. Walk-ons are only for HTM parents.Click HERE to register for the workshop. Please flyer below.
HTM Fall Sports Rosters and Practice Times are Posted
Below are multiple flyers that contains roster lists and practice information for each of the Fall Sports. First games will be on September 9. Once we receive the dates and times, we will forward the information to you. For more information, please email Ms. Pulido at jessica.pulido@sweetwaterschools.org or Mr. Horton at joshua.horton@sweetwaterschools.org.
Fall Sports Parent Meeting on Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Parents, if your child made it on one of the five rosters, please join us for a strongly encouraged meeting on Tuesday at 6:00pm. You will meet the coaches and also hear the school, district and CIF expectations for being a student athlete. This is to ensure that everyone is on the same page for each game day and every practice session.
Celebrating August Babies!
This Thursday, August 31, HTM will be celebrating all August birthdays. ASB will be giving each celebrant a birthday card, which will serve as their ticket to get a birthday treat. Please go to the stage area with your birthday card to get your birthday paleta Happy Birthday to all August Babies!
ASB Store Hours Have Changed
Students, please be aware that
Finally, below are important information regarding HTM. Please read the information on the images provided so that you know as much information as possible.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Finley
Easter Finley, Principal
Email: easter.finley@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: htm.sweetwaterschools.org
Location: 44 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA, USA
Phone: 619.498.2700
Twitter: @erfinleysd